Dear Friends and Neighbors, We’re excited to bring you another update on the Coldwater Solar project as construction continues. Our team remains committed to keeping you informed about our progress and working closely with the community. Construction Progress Update We’re pleased to report steady progress in recent weeks. Here are some highlights: Main Laydown Yard: Installation of signage and gates has been completed, enhancing the organization and security of the area. Array Seeding: Initial seeding of the array areas is underway, contributing to soil stabilization and erosion control. Perimeter Fence Installation: Work continues on the perimeter fencing, with posts installed throughout the project. Access Roads: We’ve made significant advancements with aggregate installation on the access roads, providing stable pathways for ongoing and future site activities. Upcoming Activities Looking ahead, you may notice ongoing work on perimeter fencing, tree clearing, and continued development of access roads. Additionally, we’re advancing array seeding efforts, which play a key role in stabilizing soil and preparing the site for environmental restoration. Questions or Feedback? If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach us at coldwatersolar.com/complaint or by calling 1-866-370-9546. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to bring clean, renewable energy to the Coldwater area. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to sharing more updates with you soon. Warmly, The Coldwater Solar Team

150 MW Project to Boost Local Economy and Enhance Michigan’s Energy Infrastructure Apex Clean Energy announced a power purchase agreement (PPA) with a large Michigan-based energy company for the full capacity of Coldwater Solar, located in Coldwater and Ovid Townships in Branch County, Michigan. This is Apex’s second transaction with the company. “Coldwater Solar represents the successful realization of Michigan’s efforts to harness the economic and environmental advantages of the energy transition, benefiting host communities and customers alike,” said Ken Young, Apex CEO. “As growth in the Great Lakes State accelerates—including a rebound in American manufacturing—the demand for affordable clean power is poised to surge in the coming years. The state of Michigan is leading the nation by cultivating a welcoming business environment that not only attracts these investments, but also delivers tangible benefits to local communities and consumers.” The project is one of the first in the state to utilize a new, bipartisan payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) program that guarantees consistent new revenue for host communities. Additionally, the participating townships will apply for the Renewable Ready Communities Award, a program created through Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s executive budget that enhances the community benefits of renewable energy projects for the communities that host them. Coldwater Solar will generate over $30 million in new tax revenue to benefit local schools, township governments, and county services; more than $35 million to landowners and community participants; approximately $150,000 for nearby environmental conservation efforts; and more than 200 jobs during construction. The project will also fund around $20 million in upgrades to the local transmission system, improving the reliability of Michigan’s electrical grid.

Apex Clean Energy's Coldwater Solar project is moving closer to construction and eventual operations after receiving the necessary permit approvals from two local townships in recent weeks. On January 31, the project received approval for its special use permit for facilities located in Coldwater Township, which will have the capacity to generate up to 55 MW of solar energy. On February 13, the Ovid Township portion of the project was also approved, which has a generating capacity of approximately 95 MW. Together, the 150 MW project will generate enough homegrown Michigan clean energy to power about 27,000 homes annually.  Apex Clean Energy's Mulligan Solar project in Logan County, Illinois (Apex Clean Energy)   Continue reading

Apex Clean Energy has awarded its latest round of grants to Coldwater-area organizations as part of the Coldwater Solar Community Grant Program. The program, now in its third year, is one way that Apex Clean Energy can contribute to pressing community needs and make a meaningful impact at the local level. These funds are allocated to support programs that serve the residents and communities of the Coldwater area through economic development, environmental sustainability, education, and health and recreation. During this cycle, funds were distributed to Animal Aid of Branch County, the Coldwater Downtown Development Authority (DDA), and the Coldwater Community Center. Animal Aid of Branch County (AABC) is an all-volunteer non-profit foster based rescue in Coldwater dedicated to the well-being of the animal population in Branch County and beyond. The funds awarded to AABC will help cover veterinary services for animals coming into the program, often with illnesses that require immediate treatment. Cathy Schaupp, board member at AABC, said “We help homeless, abandoned, and injured dogs and cats, and we’re requested to help animals in our community on a daily basis. We are asked to take in animals with specific medical needs, such as respiratory ailments or a heartworm positive diagnosis, that must be treated on entering our program. All animals that come into our program receive any needed medical care, are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. Donations and grants like the one from Coldwater Solar help us to accept additional animals in need and move closer to our goal of reducing animal homelessness in Branch County.” The Coldwater Community Center received unanimous approval from the mayor and city council to begin restoring the historic Putnam Funeral Home building as a new community center. Chairperson Kathleen Bappert said the grant award will go towards installing two ADA-compliant bathrooms and small catering kitchen to make it suitable for cooking and baking demonstrations. “Our community in and around Coldwater has a unique small-town feel of generosity and hospitality and yet uniquely diverse. Our mission is to create a center for multicultural celebration and preservation of our unique and shared history, with educational and fun social opportunities that bring people together. This grant will help us offer more activities and make the Community Center accessible to all,” said Bappert. The Coldwater DDA is undertaking a renovation on the historic Taylor’s Building to allow the Children’s Museum to relocate into a larger space with more activities, STEAM programming, and new exhibits and programs. According to Main Street Director and Community Development Coordinator Audrey Tappenden, “Coldwater Solar’s donation is helping to build a bigger, brighter children’s museum in Branch County. The organization joins a community of supporters who are making the transformation at 60 W. Chicago Street possible.” With this latest round of grantees, the program has awarded more than $25,000 to date. Past recipients include the Branch District Library, Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary, the Branch Area Rescue Coalition, Coldwater Family Promise, and the Coldwater High School Interact Club, to name a few. Apex awards local grants through its Community Grant Program on a regular basis during the development, construction, and operation of local renewable energy projects. If you are interested in applying for future rounds of funding, please visit www.coldwatersolar.com/grant.